By IANS,
Mumbai : Questioning the rationale behind holding the Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in drought-hit Maharashtra, leader of opposition in the state legislative council Vinod Tawade Sunday said he has written to the tournament organisers to reconsider the decision.
“What sense does it make to use many thousand litres of water to maintain the pitch on which cricket matches are played,” the BJP leader said.
“Moreover, this water is used in a state seeing the worst drought of the century. It is not justified,” he said.
Tawade said he had written to IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla to reconsider organising the T20 matches in Mumbai.
“There are talks of donating a part of revenue generated out of IPL matches to drought-hit Maharashtra. But when it comes to choosing between revenue and water, water is more important,” Tawde said.
He said they had also criticised spiritual leader Asaram Bapu for wasting tonnes of water for celebrating Holi.
Farmers paid a heavy irrigation water tax so wastage of water should be curbed, he said.
The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Shiv Sena and the Republican Party of India have also objected to IPL matches being played in the city citing the same reasons.
Shiv Sena last week asked owners of IPL teams to contribute Rs.500 crore towards drought relief from the revenue generated through the event.
IPL’s sixth season will begin April 3 and end May 26. Eight matches will be played in Mumbai.